A man pulling out a gun inside a Madison County courtroom on Wednesday and running outside the courthouse is again raising questions about security at Iowa courthouses.

A man pulling out a gun inside a Madison County courtroom on Wednesday and running outside the courthouse is again raising questions about security at Iowa courthouses.

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Updated: 5:12 PM CDT Mar 26, 2014

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WEBVTT How safe are rural courthouses? That question comes after an incident in Madison county where a man just sentenced to prison time pulled out a handgun in court. Mark Tauscheck live at the Polk County Courthouse... Polk county has metal dectectors - one of the few that do.. Thankfully no one was injured during that incident in Winterset ...but news about what happened spread quickly to surrounding counties - many who have been trying to improve security at their courthouses for years. That gun scare at the courthouse in Winterset caused everyone to ask the question, could it happen here? 36:28-"there's a chance something like that could happen in any rural courthouse at least in our district on every given court day.." Judge Arthur Gamble is chief judge of the 5th judicial district - that makes up 16 counties in south central Iowa...only two of those... Polk and Dallas - have manned metal detectors ... 23:16-"the warren county courthouse here in indianola is a lot like other rural courthouses around the state - security camera that watches the front door but beyond that, no other security - and beyond that the courtrooms are just a few steps away..." The Warren County Sheriff's office is in the courthouse - so the sheriff says he patrols the courthouse when he can and the judges let him know if a potentially dangerous or unstable person will be in their courtroom...the judges also have panic buttons like these under their desks... but many say more is needed. 26:05-"the easiest fix, not the cheapest, but the easiest fix would be to have manned guards..." Increased security at the courthouse has been a long- discussed subject in Indianola ...staffed metal detectors would be in place already - if money wasn't an issue. 27:24-"it's all about money, and it's prioritizing things, but this is what our courthouse safety committee, sheriff's office and supervisors is looking right now is trying to rearrange some priorities."

Man with gun in courtroom raises courthouse security questions

A man pulling out a gun inside a Madison County courtroom on Wednesday and running outside the courthouse is again raising questions about security at Iowa courthouses.